COUNTRY SNAPSHOTS
Japan Highlights
Joined the OECD: 1964
• Real GDP growth reached 3.9% in 2010, up on 2.9% in 2000.
Prime Minister: Yoshihiko Noda Ambassador to the OECD: Motohide Yoshikawa
• General government debt already exceeded 100% of GDP in 2000, and rose towards 200% by 2010.
Delegation website: http://www.oecd.emb-japan.go.jp/home.english.files/ home.english.htm
• Inflation remained negative, at an annual -0.7%.
Parliament website: www.shugiin.go.jp/index.nsf/html/index_e.htm; www.sangiin.go.jp/eng/index.htm
• The employment rate of women stood at over 60%, compared with 80% for men, and an OECD figure of some 57%.
Capital city: Tokyo
• Renewable energy accounted for 3% of Japan’s energy supply, compared with 7.6% for the OECD.
• Unemployment stood at 5.1%, up slightly on a decade earlier, though well below the OECD rate of 8.6%.
ECONOMY
2000 2010 1
GLOBALISATION
Gross domestic product (US$ bln, PPPs)
3 250.3 4 301.9
Imports of goods and services (% of GDP)
9.5
..
GDP per capita (US$)
25 608 33 772
Exports of goods and services (% of GDP)
11.0
..
Real GDP growth (annual %)
2.9
3.9
Net official development assistance (% of GNI)
0.28
0.20
Household disposable income (annual growth %)
-0.9
..
Foreign-born population (% of population)
..
..
Budget balance (% of GDP)
-7.6
-8.1
Migration rate (per thousand)
0.3
..
Public debt (% of GDP)
135.4
199.7
Outward FDI stocks (US$ bln)
278
831
Current account balance (% of GDP)
2.6
3.6
Inward FDI stocks (US$ bln)
50
215
Inflation rate: all items (annual %)
-0.7
-0.7
Unit labour cost (annual growth %)
-2.4
..
SOCIETY
Long-term interest rates (%)
1.74
1.15
Population (thousands)
Public expenditure on health (% of GDP)
6.2
..
Life expectancy at birth (years)
81.2
83.0 3
Private expenditure on health (% of GDP)
1.5
..
Population, 65 and over (% of population)
17.4
23.1
Public expenditure on education (% of GDP)
..
3.3 2
Employment rates: men (%)
80.9
80.0
Private expenditure on education (% of GDP)
..
1.7 2
Employment rates: women (%)
56.7
60.1
Self-employment rates (% of employed)
16.6
12.3
NEW SOURCES OF GROWTH
Unemployment rates (%)
4.7
5.1
Renewable energy (% of energy supply)
3.2
3.0
Long-term unemployment (% of unemployed)
25.5
37.6
Total energy production (Mtoe)
105.8
95.1
Income inequality, rank out of 34 (1: least unequal)
..
24 4
CO2 emissions from fuel combustion (mln tonnes)
1 184 1 093 3
Average hours actually worked (per year)
1 821
1 733
R&D expenditure (% of GDP)
3.0
3.3 3
Taxes on average worker (all-in, % of labour cost)
24.8
30.5
Tertiary graduation rates (% of population)
..
43.8 3
Road fatalities (per mln inhabitants)
93
45 3
Households with Internet access (%)
..
67.1 3
126 926 127 510 3
1. Unless otherwise indicated 2. 2008 data 3. 2009 data 4. Late 2000s data, based on Gini coefficient
OECD Yearbook 2012 © OECD 2012
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